Effects of Maternal Self-Esteem, Coparenting and Warmth in Early Childhood on Children’s Problem Behaviors at School Entry

Objectives: The present study examined the effects of maternal self-esteem, coparenting and warmth in early childhood on children’s problem behaviors at school entry.Methods: The data were drawn from the seventh (T1, age 5) and eighth (T2, age 6) waves of the Panel Study of Korean Children (PSKC). A total of 1,429 mothers of 6-year-old children at T2 participated in this study. Data were analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).Results: First, in relation to direct paths, the mother’s self-esteem at age 5 had direct effects on both internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors when children were aged 6 at school entry. Second, regarding indirect paths, mother’s self-esteem at age 5 had indirect effects on children’s internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors at age 6 through coparenting at age 5 and maternal warmth, respectively. Lastly, in relation to other indirect paths, mother’s self-esteem at age 5 had indirect effects on children’s internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors sequentially at age 6 through coparenting at age 5 and maternal warmth.Conclusion: This short-term longitudinal study explored whether mothers’ self-esteem, coparenting, and warmth in early childhood have crucial effects on children’s internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors at school entry. The results emphasize the importance of positive family dynamics in early years of life to prevent children’s problem behaviors. The findings of this study offer meaningful foundation for designing parenting education programs for parents and families as well as behavioral intervention programs for children, and they can ultimately serve as basic data for heathy development of children and family.

Community Violence Exposure and Externalizing Problem Behavior Among Chinese High School Students: The Moderating Role of Parental Knowledge

Adolescents' community violence exposure (CVE) has been demonstrated with a range of behavioral and psychological problems, but the processes that explain these correlations are not clear. In our 2017 study, the mediating role of deviant peer affiliation in the relationship between CVE and externalizing problem behaviors has been confirmed. However, the moderating effect of parental factors is still unclear. Therefore, a new group (high school group) was adopted in this study to further explore the moderating effect of parental knowledge based on also confirming the mediating effect of deviant peer affiliation. Stratified-cluster sampling was used to recruit 1,797 volunteers who completed questionnaires on CVE, deviant peer affiliation, parental knowledge, and externalizing problem behaviors. The results of the structural equation modeling were: on the basis of our previous research, we further analyzed the mediating role of deviant peer affiliation, and the mediated association was moderated by parental knowledge. Especially when the school climate is added as a covariate, the moderating effect of parental knowledge has changed, that is, the positive association between CVE and externalizing problem behaviors was much stronger for adolescents who reported lower levels of parental knowledge than for those who reported higher levels of parental knowledge. The results support the assumptions of social learning theory and have implications for interventions of community violence.

Health in Early Adolescence and Paid Employment

This study examines the relationship between health and adolescent employment. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics’ Child Development Supplement and Transition into Adulthood Supplement, we examine a cohort of 2,925 youth who were followed from childhood into adolescence. We focus on two outcomes measured when sample members were ages 16, 17, and 18: employment status and average weekly hours worked. With these data, we test the hypothesis that youth with health conditions will be less likely to work and if they do work, they work fewer hours a week. We find mixed support for this hypothesis. Youth with sensory limitations, developmental disabilities, and externalizing problem behaviors are less likely to work than their peers without these conditions. However, conditional on being employed, youth with externalizing problem behaviors and ADHD work more hours a week than their peers without those conditions.

Impact of an Integrated EMDR Treatment Program for Children and Youth Exposed to Potentially Traumatic Events: The Village Collaborative Trauma Center

Exposure to adverse events during childhood and adolescence is associated with problematic outcomes across the life span, including the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A growing body of research examining the effectiveness of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in treating PTSD among young people has yielded mixed findings. More work is needed that elucidates whether EMDR is linked to positive and sustained reductions in symptoms among youth who experience potentially traumatic events. For this open trial, we analyzed data from 143 youth (Mage = 12.9, standard deviation [SD] = 3.4, Range = 6–18) who received outpatient behavioral health clinic services, including EMDR. We assessed whether the number of types of exposure to family-related and non-family-related traumatic events, as well as differences in severity of PTSD symptomatology, was associated with changes in internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors from intake to 6 months. Results indicated that youth with (a) fewer exposures to non-family-related potentially traumatic events and (b) more severe PTSD symptoms, showed greater improvements in externalizing problem behaviors. We discuss limitations of the present study and implications for future research.